EAT BEAT

Dragonfish Closing, Reopening as Tasting East

Downtown restaurant shutters briefly to rebrand as Asian-inspired “street plates” restaurant across from Directors Park.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Feb 02, 2012 at 01:00PM 0 Comments

A fish by any other name: Dragonfish Restaurant in the Paramount Hotel has closed its doors at 909 SW Park Avenue. The space is currently being transformed into Asian fusion eatery Tasting East Restaurant, set to open late February.

According to Tasting East’s manager Andrew Tinling (who was also the bar manager at Dragonfish), the eatery’s new menu will offer small plates inspired by the street cuisines of China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, India and Vietnam.

The bar will offer sho-chu, soju, and Portland’s largest selection Asian beers. TE:bar is now open, and will be open while the full-service restaurant is remodeled.

Dragonfish, which opened in 2001, was an offshoot of Seattle’s Dragonfish Asian Cafe.

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Service Shake-Ups

A few Portland favorites are mixing up their menus, including the debut of dinner service at Bijou Cafe and Chef’s Choice tasting menus at Castagna—with daily vegetarian options.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Feb 02, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

Bijou Does Dinner: Popular downtown dining destination Bijou Café will add Friday dinner service starting this week, February 3rd (132 SW 3rd Ave). According to Chef Josh Lorenzen, doors will open at 6, dinner will be offered from 6:30 on, and each week will feature the musical stylings of live jazz musicians from the Pacific Northwest.

An early look at the new menu reveals tastes like pan-seared steelhead with broccolini and garnet yams, braised lamb shanks with apricot pistachio couscous, linguine with clams and Italian sausage, and a pastrami sandwich with house-made sauerkraut and gruyere. A varied selection of snacks and small plates will also be available for those stopping in for the music, including curried butternut squash soup, warm black kale salad with hazelnuts, local cheese plate, and mussels with andouille and fennel.

Paragon Rolls Out Sunday Brunch: Pearl District eatery Paragon will debut brunch service on Sunday, February 19 from 10 am to 2 pm (1309 NW Hoyt at 13th). The Sunday menu will feature brunch classics like pork belly hash, eggs benedict, buttermilk flapjacks and a Portland take on huevos rancheros.

On the liquid side of things, look forward to a Bacon Bloody Mary and the Wake Up Call, with Amaretto di Saronno, Tia Maria, Stumptown Coffee and fresh whipped cream. For the kick-off weekend, brunch will be offered Sunday and Monday (Presidents’ Day, February 20th), and proceeds will benefit Blanchet House.

Castagna Debuts Tasting Menus: Choosing items off the menu at Castagna used to require a leap of faith, due to the difficulty of capturing the restaurant’s exquisite dishes in typical appetizer, entree, and dessert descriptions. With the debut of Castagna’s new daily tasting menu only service, diners will be able to enjoy Chef Justin Woodward’s culinary creations without being stymied by the choice between “winter squash hot and cold with wild char roe, nasturtium, mustard and arugula” and “cauliflower in various textures with oyster and oyster leaf”.

Castagna will now offer frequently-shifting chef’s choice menus of five ($65) or ten ($95) courses, including a daily vegetarian five-course option (ten-course veg meal available with 24 hours notice). Each dish featured on the new tasting menus will be paired with a wine selection from sommelier Jack Hott for an additional fee, and dishes will also be available a la carte (a perfect intro for first-time diners).

Chef Woodward has long been a champion of the farmers and foragers that deliver the best of the country to his kitchen, and his avant garde take on Northwest Cuisine truly highlights the best of Oregon’s fresh-picked bounty. With the new freedom of the chef’s choice menus, Woodward will have even more room to experiment.

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The Ice Cream Collective

Salt & Straw teams up with five Portland restaurants to churn out their own unique flavors.

Posted by: Benjamin Tepler on Feb 01, 2012 at 12:55PM 0 Comments

Photo: Benjamin Tepler

Patrick Fleming (left) and Tyler Malek (right) concoct their kaffir lime and lemongrass ice cream

The lights dim at Boke Bowl, post lunch rush, leaving only chef Patrick Fleming and his new kitchen collaborator, Salt & Straw ice cream ace, Tyler Malek. The pair dangles a viscous amber spoonful of their experimental “ fish sauce caramel” over a scoop of lemongrass and kaffir lime ice cream, topped with a confetti of bright Korean chili flakes. “Yup, it’s awesome,” they say in unison, licking the spoon clean.

A mishmash of ice cream and Southeast Asian ingredients sounds nuts, but the flavor combinations are shockingly good. If all goes well, the first batch should come together in early April to coincide with the opening of Salt & Straw’s new outpost on NW 23rd and Kearny. Owners and ice cream fanatics Kim and Tyler Malek are planning a series of five chef collaborations, and Boke Bowl is the first. Chefs dream up the ideas, Salt & Straw churns them into a reality.

This project represents the best of Portland’s community food scene: a symbiotic gathering of culinary artists coming together for the sake of delicious food.

Photo: Benjamin Tepler

A thick spoonful of fish sauce caramel.

Some of Portland’s hottest talents have already signed up. In the works: A sake ice cream with house made yuzu marmalade from Bamboo Sushi; a toasted coconut ice cream with sesame toffee and boysenberry-ginger jam from Aviary; and a “Foie S’mores” with roasted cocoa nib ice cream covered in a veal chocolate sauce and hazelnut graham cracker crumble from Greg Denton’s upcoming Ox.

Each distinct flavor will run for six weeks at Salt & Straw, as well as on the dessert menu at the collaborating restaurant, with all proceeds going to a charity of the chef’s choice. More dates and details to come as the project unfolds. With fish sauce ice cream already a reality, and a veal chocolate sauce in the making, the sky’s the limit.

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6 Local Sweets for Your Sweetheart

Our tasty picks for sugar-powered Valentines’ Day gifts made with love, right here in Portland.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Feb 01, 2012 at 10:00AM 9 Comments

Somewhere along the line, desserts and candies earned the peerless reputation for being romantic, sexy, and made with love. Maybe you’re more of a passionate pork belly lover, or have been known to swoon over a bottle of fine wine, but at the end of the day most folks think of sweet decadence when they think of culinary love. Here are some fool-proof picks for showing your love via Portland’s best candies, cakes, and cookies this Valentines’ Day.

1. Two Grand Central Bakery’s Shortbread Linzer Hearts for $2.65 (Available February 3 to 14)

Each of these buttery, heart-shaped shortbread cookies from Grand Central Bakery are filled with Glenmore Farms raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Or maybe you’re the almost-DIY type who’s short on time—pick up some of Grand Central’s U-Bake chocolate chip cookie dough or puff pastry to whip up your own goodies without the prep work.

2. Pix Patisserie’s French-Inspired Specials, $2.25-$8.75 (Available now through February 14)

This petite patisserie is serving up a dose of Parisian l’amour in sugar form, like their Truffle Heart (a caramel almond truffle and cinnamon macaron hidden in a heart of chocolate mousse), St. Honoré for St. Valentine (puff pastry with raspberry pastry cream, chocolate covered pop rocks, crème chantilly, rose macarons, and fresh raspberries), and heart-shaped versions of their crave-worthy macarons. In addition to their Valentines’ Day treats, one chocolate gift box at each Pix locations will feature a pair of real diamond earrings hidden amongst the candies!

3. Petunia’s Gluten Free and Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Passion Tartlette for Two, $8 (Order online by February 8)

This decadent dessert combines a coconut macaroon cookie crust with white chocolate raspberry mousse and tangy passionfruit curd. The tartlette is finished with fresh berries for even more color and sweetness. Petunia’s online owner and chef Lisa Clark is also hosting a Valentine’s Day baking class on Sunday, February 12th. For $50 (if you reserve a spot by this Sunday), Clark will help you make White Chocolate Raspberry Passionfruit Tarts, Chocolate Strawberry Sweetheart Cupcakes, and Triple Chocolate Ecstasy Cupcakes.

4. Two Fresh Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries from Elephant’s Deli for $3 (Available February 13 & 14)

It doesn’t get more classic than two juicy strawberries dipped in smooth chocolate (to be hand-fed to each other, naturally). For a full fine dining experience at home without the work, the deli also has a full Valentines’ Menu to seduce your sweetheart. Order online or stop into Elephant’s Deli to reserve your desserts today.

5. Five Decadent (and Guilt-Free) Truffles from Missionary Chocolates for $15 (Available Anytime)

These chocolate truffles just took home the Best in Show and People’s Choice trophies at last week’s Chocolates For Choice event, and they also happen to be vegan. Yes, Missionary Chocolates are made by a naturopathic doctor to be as healthy as chocolates can be, but they’re also some of the best chocolates in town. For your sweetie, pick up a five-piece box packed with flavors like Meyer Lemon Explosion, Vanilla Salted Caramel, Trailhead Espresso, Dark Chocolate Delight, and Spicy Cinnamon Chipotle.

6. Gold-leaf icons from Alma Chocolates, starting at $15 (Available Anytime)

These stunning treats are inspired by items of religious reverence so you can show your darling you worship them. Made from solid single-origin dark chocolate and hand gilded with 23k edible gold leaf, Alma’s edible icons highlight the true value of sweets this time of year. Choose between sacred hearts, flaming hearts, amor hearts, or even anatomical hearts for the more literal-minded lover. Alma is also a one-stop shop for truffles, handmade candies, and ooey-gooey salted caramel sauce. That caramel can be spread on anything… but we’ll leave that one up to your imagination.

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Classic Wines Auction Week of Wine

This year, the biggest night in wine is becoming the biggest week-long vino extravaganza, featuring top chef collaborations with winemakers leading up to the auction gala on March 3rd.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 31, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

Photo courtesy: Classic Wines Auction

The Classic Wines Auction is one of the largest fundraisers in Oregon—raising over $26 million for Portland-area charities since 1982—and this year it’s getting even bigger. The auction will be the capstone of a week-long celebration of wine, beginning February 27 and extending to the night of the auction on March 3rd.

The Week of Wine kicks off with the Walla Walla Wine tasting at Pure Space in Northwest Portland. Twenty-one Walla Walla wineries will be pouring new releases and library selections, and winemakers will be on hand to give their perspective on the growing influence of wines from the Walla Walla Valley. The event kicks off at 6 pm, and the $60 tickets can be purchased here.

Throughout the week, Portland restaurants are getting in on the vino action with winemaker dinners throughout the Metro area. There are still tickets available to several of these exclusive and intimate dinners, including Beaker & Flask and Crown Paella at KitchenCru featuring Apolloni Vineyards and Gilbert Cellars, Clyde Common at The Cleaners featuring Syncline Wine Cellars and Trisaetum, Irving Street Kitchen featuring Buty Winery and J.K. Carriere Wines, Nel Centro featuring the wines of Andrew Rich, and Noble Rot featuring Argyle Winery and Woodward Canyon Winery.

The big event, the 2012 Classic Wines Auction, will take place on Saturday, March 3rd beginning at 5 pm. Over 750 wine and food lovers from around the country will gather at the Oregon Convention Center for a food and wine reception, a five-course dinner prepared by Cory Schreiber and Adam Sappington, top national and international wine pairings, and a silent and live auction. Some of the big names in featured wine will include Oregon’s own Evening Land Vineyards, DeLille Cellars from Woodinville, Washington, Fontanafredda from Piedmont, and Sbragia Family Vineyards from Geyserville, California.

Events throughout the week range from $60 to $150 per person, and proceeds from the food and wine gatherings will benefit Metropolitan Family Service, New Avenues for Youth, Friends of the Children Portland and YWCA Clark County. For more information, including a full list of participating restaurants and wineries, head over to the Classic Wines Auction website.

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Eat Beat Neighborhood News

Top food news stories from around Portland, including a PDX sweep of the NW Regional Barista Competition and Brewers Cup, a new burger joint in Sellwood, and a new chef at Metrovino.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 31, 2012 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

PDX Champ, Devin Chapman of Coava Coffee.

Southeast

Sellwood: Killer Burger—home of the peanut butter pickle bacon burger—will be opening a third location in the former Hash space in Sellwood (8728 SE 17th Ave). Co-owned by Mark McCrary and TJ Southard, Killer Burger’s Hollywood location has drawn burger fanatics since 2012.

Northeast

NE Alberta: The owners of Aladdin’s Castle Cafe food cart have opened a new eatery, DarSalam, in the former Suzette Creperie space at 2921 NE Alberta St. The new menu features Middle Eastern fare like gluten-free falafel, Iraqi stews, and beef, chicken, and lamb shawarma.

NE Alberta: According to the Portland Mercury, the Star E Rose coffee shop will close Tuesday, January 31st after thirteen years of business at 2403 NE Alberta. The space will soon be home to the third location of local cafe Anna Bannanas (slated for a mid-march opening).

Northwest

NW 11th: Metrovino’s owner Todd Steele has announced the new head of his Pearl District kitchen, former sous chef Victor Deras will take over for departing chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñonez Denton (who will open Ox Restaurant this Spring). As reported by The Oregonian, Deras will preserve much of the current menu.

Medialand

The Merc: The Portland Mercury has found a new food critic: Chris Onstad, avid cook and creater of the webcomic Achewood. Hopefully this means Merc restaurant reviews will now come with hand-drawn depictions of food and service gaffs. Fingers crossed.

National

Coffee Time: Portland baristas brought it home at the NW Regional Barista Competition and Brewers Cup. Coava Coffee’s Devin Chapman nabbed first place in both the Barista Competition and Brewers Cup and Portland coffee experts beat out all other competitors in the Barista Competition (Stumptown, Barista, Coava, and Sterling all placed in the top six). Chapman will advance to the national competition, to be held in Portland mid-April.

Got a food news tip? Send it my way at ajones@portlandmonthlymag.com!

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Game Day Grub Guide

Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching, so gear up with these snacks for a perfect party or skip the mess and head to some of Portland’s best restaurants for watching and noshing.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 30, 2012 at 01:00PM 0 Comments

You look like you could use some wings.

Whether you’re rooting for the Giants, the Patriots, or the commercials, you’re going to need to eat this Super Bowl Sunday. Several Portland eateries and local food purveyors are ready to set you up for a perfect play from their kitchen to your living room table. Game on!

Heading out to watch the game?: EaT: An Oyster Bar will be featuring food specials and a chance to win a big fancy television so you can skip the dive bar (remember, kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 pm). Skyline Burgers on Broadway is hosting an all-you-can-eat Indoor Tailgater Party, complete with sliders, build-your-own hot dog bar, sloppy joes, and hot wings for $9.95 (they’ll also be showing the game projected on a huge wall AND three 60 inch flat screens). Reservations for Skyline’s bash are necessary, call 503-808-1553 for more details.

Throwing your own party?: Order some take-out for your gathering. Superbowl packages will be available from Fire on the Mountain (hot wings with tons of sauces—Whiskey Pomegranate BBQ sauce, anyone?), Bunk Sandwiches (think Pork Belly Bahn Mi, Roasted Pork Shoulder sammys, and classic Mufalettas with sides of Picklopolis pickles and apple cabbage slaw) and Portland Seafood Company (featuring Dungeness Crab Buckets, Oyster Po’ Boys, and Fish & Chip platters with all the fixin’s). Many other restaurants are also ready for take-out orders, like Sizzle Pie, Screen Door, Kenny & Zuke’s Sandwichworks, and Hawain BBQ from Ate-Oh-Ate.

Need to bring some snacks to another party?: You know you can do better than chips and dip. This Super Bowl Sunday, snack local with tasty treats like the addictive (and naturally gluten-free) Brazilian cheese breads puffs from Brazi Bites (made at Portland’s own KitchenCru), a dozen macarons from Pix Patisserie, a whole pie or pastries from Random Order, or some cheeses and sausages at Cheese Bar.

Looking for a spot to celebrate (or drown your sorrows) after the game?: Southeast Division’s Wafu is celebrating the 46th Super Bowl with $4.60 bowls of ramen, 46 cent add-ons, and a new line of bao (steam buns) for just 46 cents each. They won’t be showing the game, but the Super [Ramen] Bowl starts at Wafu at 5 pm.

Need a break from the sports fans themselves?: NE Killingsworth’s Yakuza is opening up their outdoor soaking tub and Kuza Garden Cabin for a Sip n Soak Post-Bowl Evening starting at 5 pm. Sip n Soak Sunday dishes will include $4 salads, $5 veggie hand rolls (packed with buttternut squash, asian pear, tsukimono, and roasted bell pepper), and $6 salmon hand rolls and soba noodle salads. There will even be childcare available, so you have no reason not to relax and soak the game away. Call the restaurant for reservations.

How will you be cheering this Sunday?

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Eat Beat Weekly Planner

Our digest of Portland’s top upcoming food and drink events, including an art show featuring the work of Voodoo Doughnut employees and the next Vegetarian Feast at Beast.

Posted by: Eat Beat Team on Jan 30, 2012 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

If you’re looking for Love Day events, stay tuned for our full run-down of Valentines Dinners and sweet treats later this week. For other swoon-worthy suppers, check out this week’s listing of sips and nosh, party-style.

First Annual Voodoo Doughnut Employee Art Show
What: Voodoo Doughnut will be celebrating eight years of tourist-baiting with their showcase of employee art and music. Featured artists include Kevin Waterman, Mike Nelson, collagist Dave Drexler, photographer Alex Dramlin, Alicia Ruiz and many more. Bonus: Live Band Karaoke!
When: Thursday, February 2nd through February 28th (Opening reception Thursday, February 2nd from 5 to 10 pm)
Where: Berbati Restaurant 19 SW 2nd Ave; 503-226-3343
How Much: Free

Vegetarian Dinner at Beast
What: The next round of meat-free feasting at Northeast’s hottest little eatery is scheduled, and the menu is set to feature crispy yellow beets and chervil, truffled goat cheese raviolo, white bean tartlettes, citrus cream cake and more. These dinners sell out fast, so make your reservations ASAP.
When: Tuesday, February 21st; Seatings at 6 and 8:45 pm.
Where: Beast 5425 Northeast 30th Avenue
How Much: $100 per person (including all food and wine pairings). For reservations, call 503-841-6968.

Momokawa Saké Supper Club at Wildwood
What: First in a series of Oregon craft saké pairing dinners, featuring sips from SakéOne in Forest Grove and nibbles from . Each chef was told to avoid the typical Asian fare and get inspired with new flavor combinations, so Chef Dustin Clark of Wildwood will pair these local sips with his hyper-local Northwest Cuisine. The next dinners in the series will feature dishes from Andina and Saucebox.
When: Friday, February 24 at 7 pm.
Where: Wildwood Restaurant 1221 NW 21st Ave; 503-248-9663
How Much: $55 per person, including food and saké.

Portland Food Adventure at Gilt Club, with Lardo
What: Next up in the popular Chef’s Choice dinner series from Portland Food Adventures, an interactive multi-course meal with chefs Chris Carriker of NW Broadway’s Gilt Club and Rick Gencarelli of crave-worthy cart Lardo. Diners will enjoy the decadent eateries’ signature flavors and chat with the chefs about their favorite Portland restaurants and bars.
When: Wednesday, February 29 at 6:30 pm.
Where: Gilt Club 306 NW Broadway
How Much: $125 per person, including dinner, cocktails & wine, tip, and gift certificates to some of the two chefs’ favorite Portland places. For reservations, head to the PFA website.

Patton Valley Vineyards Winemaker Dinner at Bluehour
What: A five-course pairing menu. Winemaker Derek Einberger and Chef Thomas Boyce will be on hand to discuss the dishes, wines, and more. Courses are set to include smoked trout with caviar, seared Maine diver scallops (paired with 2009 Wente Clone Chardonnay), Striped Bass with blood sausage (paired with 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir), Sudan Farms Lamb two ways (paired with 2009 Lorna Marie Pinot Noir), and much more.
When: Saturday, February 11 at 6:30 pm.
Where: Bluehour’s Private Dining Room:
How Much: $100 per person including food and wine. Gratuity not included. For reservations, call 503-226-3394.

Know about a great event coming up that should be on our radar? Shoot me an email at ajones@portlandmonthlymag.com or give me a shout over on Twitter at @allisonejones. Now get out there and start eating!

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Departure’s Vegan Menu

Chef Gregory Gourdet puts a animal-free spin on his Asian-inspired cuisine with the debut of a plant-based menu. The result? A true departure from typical vegan offerings.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 27, 2012 at 11:00AM 1 Comments

Vegetable Udon at Departure.

Departure’s menu has long been accommodating to special requests and dietary restrictions. The kitchen has offered a gluten-free menu by request for a year, the restaurant played host to an all-star collaboration of vegan chefs at their Summer’s End Vegan Dinner last year, and the kitchen is more than happy to cater to the ever-shifting desires of the Portland palate. With the debut of Chef Gregory Gourdet’s new stand-alone Vegan Menu, this sexy space at the top of the Nines Hotel just got even more Allergy Pride Parade friendly.

The plentiful menu is divided into several sections, including Salads, Sushi, Dim Sum, Chefs Recommendations, and Wok Fried. Overall, the tastes are light and fresh, with a healthy dose of flavors you’d usually associate with guilty-pleasure Chinese take-out—which is definitely a compliment.

Menu Standouts: The Spicy Carrot and Avocado Salad with pickled cucumbers and sourdough croutons could change the way you think about root vegetables—baby carrots (actual young carrots, not those abnormally rounded kids snacks) are tossed in a sweet and sour vinagrette and paired with creamy avocado for a delicious starter. A big bowl of the Vegetable Udon (pictured above) will satisfy any noodle-lover’s cravings, and a plentiful serving is packed with roasted peppers, spinach and ginger. For curry lovers who are sick of asking servers to hold the fish sauce, Departure’s Golden Curry with sweet and sour mango and spiced cashews will definitely hit the spot.

Some more crave-worthy dishes are found in the Wok Fried portion of the menu, like the heavenly Brussels Sprouts with individual leaves of the little cabbages tossed in chili, lime, and mint and the Chili Tofu with candied walnuts and hearts of palm in a sweet and spicy sauce. Kimchi Fried Rice and Sweet-Soy Green Beans with peanuts are also solid selections.

Carrot & Avocado Salad, Grilled Shitake Roll, and Vegetable Tempura.

Sushi Without the Fish: For those avoiding raw fish for health reasons or personal preference, trips to a sushi bar are typically limited to cucumber rolls or a bowl of miso soup. Not so at Departure, where the vegan sushi selections include the Grilled Shitake Roll with scallions, avocado, butter lettuce, and a sweet-and-spicy carrot sauce. The mushrooms are smoky and savory, setting a new standard for fish-free sushi. Other favorites include the Ume Shiso Roll with pickled plums, cucumber, and jalapeno, and the Sweet Potato Tempura Roll, which makes use of Departure’s addictive vegetable tempura for a sweet crunch accented by flavors for ginger and spicy miso.

Salt & Pepper Tempeh and Ume Shiso Roll.

This menu proves to be a hit for vegans and omnivores alike, packing fresh flavors and brilliant colors that are as seductive as the view from the restaurant’s windows.

Departure Restaurant + Lounge 525 SW Morrison St; 503-802-5370

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Plate & Pitchfork Comes to the City

With their new dinner series ForkLift, these farm-to-table party planners are highlighting artisan producers who are “harvesting” goods right here in Portland.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 26, 2012 at 03:00PM 2 Comments

To celebrate ten years of wildly successful dinners connecting diners, chefs, and farmers in the Portland area, Plate & Pitchfork founder Erika Polmar has announced a new culinary series that pays tributes to her urban culinary heroes, including bakers, distillers, and chocolate makers.

The ForkLift series will fill the annual seasonal gap in the calender of farm dinners by bringing attention to the producers who may not harvest snow peas or shovel compost but still play a major part in Portland’s farm-to-table system. Each event will feature tours of the participating producer’s facility, engaging conversation about the dynamic artisan food scene, and a three-course dinner paired with beer, wine, and spirits.

First up in the series is Outside the Chocolate Box on February 12th with Scott Ketterman from Crown Paella and David Briggs of Xocotl de David at Milwaukie Kitchen & Wine. On April 29th, a bakery-based dinner will feature a backstage tour at Grand Central Baking and dinner from Dolen Lane of clarklewis. March and June events are still TBA, but look for roasters, distillers, and other local artisans to join the fun.

For those of you hankering for another kind of culinary adventure, hit the trail with a culinary road trip to Carman Ranch in Eastern Oregon (complete with river rafting in Hells Canyon) with chefs Benjamin Bettinger (Beaker and Flask) and Jason Barwikowski (Woodsman Tavern). Be sure to pack your sunscreen and reusable bamboo silverware set!

Stay tuned for the full summer 2012 farm dinner line-up, and follow the Plate & Pitchfork Blog for more info. Early hints include the return of Vitaly Paley of Paley’s Place; Jasper Shen, Sarah Pliner, and Kat Whitehead of Aviary; Aaron Barnett of St. Jack; and Anthony Cafiero of Tabla.

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National Peanut Brittle Day

Celebrate with peanut and other nut brittles from around Portland, or make your own with this recipe from pastry chef Kristen Murray.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 26, 2012 at 11:00AM 0 Comments

January 26th is National Peanut Brittle Day, so I’ve culled some of the best buttery and nutty, sweet and salty variations on the classic treat from around Portland. Get crunching!

Pick up some curried cashew brittle at posh candy shop Northwest Sweets (740 NW 23rd Ave), or stop by Alma Chocolates on Northeast 28th for their pistachio, ginger almond, and hazelnut cherry toffee (Cacao at The Heathman also stocks a variety of Alma’s chocolate-covered toffees for candy cravers downtown).

Tigard-based Brittle Kittle has gained a following for their “unBrittle”, which uses natural peanut butter in their recipe for a softer take on the typically mega-crunchy sweet. Try their peanut, almond, and hazelnut varieties, or indulge in chocolate-covered unBrittle for a real treat.

If you’re up for a drive to get your brittle fix, the best peanut brittle in the state is made at a tiny place called Sarah Jo’s Candy at the Bunk House Restaurant in Nehalem (36315 Hwy. 101 N). If you can’t justify a trip to the coast for dessert, Elephant’s Delicatessen here in town carries Sarah Jo’s caramels. For other great Oregon finds, head to the Pacific Hazelnut Candy Factory in Aurora for some wicked good hazelnut toffee or Puddin’ River Chocolates in Canby for pecan brittle, apricot almond bark, and hazelnut toffee.

Yes, The Redhead confections may be based in NYC, but their bacon peanut brittle is full of Portlandish flavors. Peanuts, maple syrup, cayenne, thyme, and bacon? That’s definitely worth some shipping and handling.

If you’re more the DIY type, here’s a recipe from award-winning pastry chef Kristen Murray, who’s been whipping up unique treats at Paley’s Place and will be opening her own sweet shop this year.

Nana’s Nut Brittle
From Pastry Chef Kristen Murray

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoon honey
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1 cup toasted and chopped cashews
1 cup toasted and skinned Spanish or Virginia peanuts

Mix sugar, water, honey, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook on high until mixture reaches 300 F to 310 F on a candy thermometer. It will be a beautiful light chestnut brown color. Remove from heat. Add baking soda and stir to combine. Quickly stir in the warm nuts and pour onto a well-oiled sheet tray. Finish the brittle by sprinkling your favorite flaked sea salt* on top. Let cool before breaking into shards.

*Murray recommends Jacobsen Sea Salt or Turkish black pyramid sea salt to finish the brittle.

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All-Star Wine Dinners at The Heathman

An education, celebrity sighting, and a great dinner in one tasty package, each dinner in this series of internationally-celebrated winemakers promises to set the bar very high for future wine dinners in Portland.

Posted by: Allison Jones on Jan 26, 2012 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

Evening Land’s Seven Springs Vineyard.

Top-notch wine dinners are a dime a dozen around these parts. We have the opportunity to chat face-to-face with some of the best producers and chefs throughout the region a few times a week, and many of the gorgeous vineyards that give birth to Oregon’s great wines lie a short drive from Portland. That being said, every once in a while a wine dinner pops onto the culinary events calender that stands out from the pack. Case in point? The latest celebrity winemaker dinner series announced by The Heathman Restaurant and Bar.

The events will feature Oregon Pinots and French Burgundies side-by-side, a sort of New World vs. Old World showdown with delicious results. Bringing together French producers that have established wineries in Oregon and winemakers from the sister regions of the Willamette Valley and Burgundy, this series will be hosted by Advanced Sommelier Erica Landon, Portland Monthly’s Sommelier of the Year in 2008 and en expert behind our list of Oregon’s 50 Best Wines in 2011.

February 21st, Evening Land Vineyards and Domaine Dominique Lafon: The first dinner of the series will feature Evening Land Vineyards based in the Eola Amity Hills, producers of our top-scoring white wine in 2011, and Domaine Dominique Lafon, the new small-production label from Evening Land’s internationally celebrated consulting winemaker based in Burgundy. Mingle with winemakers Isabelle Meunier and Dominique Lafon over several courses of Pacific Northwest cuisine.

March 7th, Domaine Drouhin and Maison Joseph Drouhin: In 1988, the Drouhin family released their first vintage in the Willamette Valley, after being seduced by the new and exciting potential of Oregon’s young vineyards. Since then, Domaine Drouhin Oregon has become one of the most respected labels in the Pacific Northwest. At this decadent dinner, taste the award-winning Oregon wines side-by-side with the top wines from Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy.

July 25th, Scott Paul Wines and Scott Paul Selections: Scott and Martha Wright have been producing excellent Pinot Noir under their Scott Paul label since 1999, and have since established themselves as headlining players in the story of Willamette Valley Wine. Once the Managing Director for Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Scott Wright has also imported some of the small-label wines from Burgundy and Champagne since 2003. Guests at this dinner will be treated to wines from Scott Paul Wines and selections from the Wright’s favorite producers in Burgundy.

August 13th, J. Christopher and Dr. Loosen: Join Jay and Ronda Somers of J. Christopher WInes, producers of Pinot Noir and excellent white wines since 1996, and Ernst Loosen of the German winery Dr. Loosen for an exploration of the Mosel’s top wines and the vintages they inspired here in Oregon. In 2010, the three winemakers (and longtime friends) joined forces to start Appassionata, a 40-acre estate in Oregon that blends their years of experience and passion for quality. Dinner guests will sip both German and Oregon wines as they explore the influences outside of France that have had a major impact on our own wine culture, and the great tastes that collaboration can bring to the table.

The dinners will be prepared by James Beard Award-winning Culinary Director Philippe Boulot and Executive Chef Michael Stanton. Each event begins will a reception at 6:30, followed by a multi-course dinner at 7. Tickets are $175 per person, including food and plenty of wine. For reservations and more information, call the Heathman Restaurant at 503-790-7752.

The Heathman Restauran & Bar 1001 SW Broadway; 503-790-7752

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